WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican National Committee
(RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters released the following statement after the RNC sued
Maryland election officials, including the State Administrator of Elections,
for failing to properly maintain voter rolls:
“Marylanders deserve to have confidence in their elections and to know that
their state is properly maintaining its voter rolls,” said Chairman Gruters.
“The State Board of Elections has failed to do its job and remove ineligible or
deceased voters from its rolls. Marylanders have a right to accurate voter
rolls, which is why the RNC is suing today.”
Background:
- Today,
the RNC sued Maryland election
officials for failing to properly maintain the State's voter rolls, as the
National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) requires.
- At
least two of Maryland's most populous counties have more registered voters
than they have adult citizens over the age of 18. This is impossibly high.
- Other
counties report registration rates exceeding 95% of adult citizens over
the age of 18, whereas the Census indicates
that Maryland’s registration rate is only about 75.6%.
- Maryland
has been taken to federal court twice in the last six years for not
following federal law on voter roll maintenance and transparency.
- Federal
law mandates that voter rolls be updated, ineligible registrations
removed, and public inspection allowed. Maryland has not met these
requirements.
- This
suit is part of the RNC’s nationwide push for voter roll transparency and
accuracy, including recent action in Hawaii and New
Jersey.
- Earlier
this year, the RNC sent public records requests for information about voter roll maintenance to
nearly every state.
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